(no subject)
I've been reading apocalypse fic, as one does, and it it interesting to me how many authors have their characters deal with the IMMEDIATE needs... and ignore long term needs. Or even ignore typical weather/seasonal patterns. I mean, I know a little poetic license is okay, especially with folks dealing with the aftermath of an apocalypse - but cramming twenty people into a four or five bedroom house, not knowing when the plumbing is going to go, how long you'll have running water, or even electricity... doesn't it seem like someone should be researching something like alternative power sources? Or maybe gathering what is needed to plant a garden, raise chickens, have a few cows, etc?
Because mentioning that the looted grocery stores in the area where the picking is getting mighty slim but not following it up with PLANS for the future seems like a bad idea. Find another source! I mean, what about the school cafeterias in the area? Want to stay in the city - how about taking over a garden shop - where there are green houses and seeds and plants! And books about how to garden and farm! How about taking a walk or a bike ride out to more rural suburbs and find a deserted farmland with some free-range chickens. Or cows. Even goats.
But having your (admittedly sweet, somewhat bumbling, but so very plucky) main characters pull themselves back together after the end of the world just to likely perish of starvation because they couldn't think forward enough to think "harvest for the winter" seems... counterproductive.
Because mentioning that the looted grocery stores in the area where the picking is getting mighty slim but not following it up with PLANS for the future seems like a bad idea. Find another source! I mean, what about the school cafeterias in the area? Want to stay in the city - how about taking over a garden shop - where there are green houses and seeds and plants! And books about how to garden and farm! How about taking a walk or a bike ride out to more rural suburbs and find a deserted farmland with some free-range chickens. Or cows. Even goats.
But having your (admittedly sweet, somewhat bumbling, but so very plucky) main characters pull themselves back together after the end of the world just to likely perish of starvation because they couldn't think forward enough to think "harvest for the winter" seems... counterproductive.